Shiner prepares to kick off the high school football season

Long time Shiner football fan Ron Nagel chills out after five and talks about the anticipation of football season in Shiner. You can tell that there's something different in the air as Shiner gets into the spirit as the first games of the season begin this weekend.

Jim Logsdon, of Shiner, said he is more of a baseball fan, but when he heard the Shiner Comanches would kick off the high school football season with a home game against Industrial on Friday, he reached into his pocket for spare change.

"Here's a couple of dollars on Shiner!" he said.

Hannah Koenning, 16, of Shiner, has been watching local high school football games since she was a small child.

"We should beat 'em," Hannah said.

She she will wear a Shiner shirt and cheer for her junior classmates in the first home game on Friday.

"We're a small school, so we're all pretty close and football is such a big sport in Shiner," Hannah said. "I'm not a cheerleader, but I still go out and support them."

Hannah said she is looking forward to the first pep rally at the end of the eighth period.

"The cheerleaders do skits and recognize the football players," Hannah said. "The whole school participates in the victory cheer at the end of the rally."

Helen Patek, of Shiner, said her grandson Tyler is a quarterback on the Comanche Junior Varsity football team.

"It's been a while since my children played," Patek said. "You get all excited again now that Tyler's playing."

Beverly Sanders, of Shiner, said the parents of those attending the game will stop by her shop on their way out to get refreshments before the game.

Sanders is not able to attend the games because of the hours she works at her store, but she supports the teams financially.

"People cling to the radio if they are not out there, listening to live broadcasts," Sanders said.

Sanders said she has met people who can quote statistics on local high school students from the beginning years of the football team.

"Since I moved here from Houston, I was shocked to see how much team spirit there is," Sanders said. "In their hearts, they are there 150 percent to support their kids."